1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention is storage containers and systems for electronic or magnetic recording media, including compact discs and audio cassette tapes.
2. Scope and Content of the Prior Art
The use of compact discs ("CD's") in new technologies for home entertainment is proliferating. One of the most recent advances is called CD-TV, which allows users to view images stored on compact disc directly on their television screens. A new technology allows consumers to have their photographs electronically stored on a compact disc for viewing on the CD-TV system. Another manufacturer has introduced an electronic encyclopedia on compact disc. Current plans have other manufacturers putting their popular home computer games on compact discs.
With this advent of the compact disc as a popular medium for electronic recording, their storage has created a problem for consumers, as their size is not compatible with existing album, cassette tape or audio tape storage devices. Also, these now-familiar five inch discs are available in either a single box or a dual box size, such that a cost-effective storage container must accomodate both.
Consumers today not only have compact discs in their collections, but also have cassette tapes. A visit to any record shop reveals that consumers are still purchasing large numbers of cassettes to add to their collection. On top of this, the burgeoning home electronics industry is producing other recording media, such as video tape and digital audio tape. There is a particular need for a common storage system for home use where the consumer's collection is very likely to contain a large and diverse collection of these recording media.
Conventional storage systems are designed to store only one type of media and therefore require consumers to purchase more than one storage system. Some conventional systems are complicated and awkward to use because they contain too many moving parts. For example, at least one of these conventional systems utilizes an awkward drawer assembly to store the electronic media. Another device incorporates a gate which rotates when the device is opened. Yet another system requires an indicator device to tell the user if a cassette or compact disc is occupying the closed container. These systems can be surprisingly expensive.
Other systems that are designed to store compact disc boxes do not securely hold both the dual and single compact discs nor can they hold other types of recording media. Similarly, conventional cassette tape storage systems are not capable of continuously adapting to the changing collection of the consumer, should his or her collection of compact discs grow significantly larger and audio cassettes lose their popularity. The need to purchase incompatible storage systems only exacerbates their high cost.
Therefore, a need was perceived for an interlocking, easy-to-use system for storing different types of recording media, including both single and dual compact disc boxes with audio cassette tape boxes, in one inexpensive system.